In the Beginning: 1855
Each week The American Israelite will print an item from the first years.
No Silent Admission. — We must beg our readers to remember that the Talmudical maxim “Silence is an admission” is only applicable before a court of justice. Our own views on subjects, as well as those of our friends, must not be taken away from any other source than from our own words. We do not think ourselves called upon to comment on every literary production, or to protest against every view contrary to ours.
— February 23, 1855
150 Years ago
Local and Domestic
– Abraham Dryfus wishes to notify his friends that he has opened a casino at 351 Central Avenue, where good coffee, wines and cigars can be had at reasonable rates.
– The grand dramatic entertainment given by the “Thespian Dramatic Society,” Saturday evening, Feb. 13 was a success in every particular. The drama of “The Flower Girl of Paris” and the farce of “To Oblige Benson” were admirably rendered. The music is by Prof. J. Bloom, who has a renowned name as instructor of the violin, and we hope he will meet with the success that he deserves.
Foreign Record
– M. Jacob Menasce Cattani, a banker residing at Cairo, universally esteemed in Egypt for his commercial integrity and philanthropy, has been elected by the Khedive to the rank of Bey.
– A celebrated house in Berlin, that of Moses Mendelssohn in the Spandaer Strasse, is about to disappear. On the facade of this house is a marble tablet with the following inscription: “In this house lived and produced some immortal things. Moses Mendelssohn, born in 1720, died at Berlin in 1786.”
– Dr. Dunner, the new Chief Rabbi of Amsterdam, was presented to the Dutch Minister of Finance at the Hague last week. The Jewish Church in Holland, receiving as it does annual subventions from the State, is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Finance. The Minister conversed for some time with the Chief Rabbi and seemed to take special interest in the Jewish Seminarium at Amsterdam, of which Dr. Dunner is Rector.
— February 19, 1875
125 Years ago
Jottings
– There was advertised the other day, in the Reform Advocate, a Zionistic lecture by Rev. Dr. George Bergman, graduate of the Vienna Rabbinical Seminary. The mistakes in that announcement are these: George Bergman is no reverend, no doctor of any kind, and no graduate of the Vienna Seminary, or any other college; the best we know about him is that he is a very persistent Schnorrer, who does not always tell the truth.
– Dr. Paul Carus of Chicago keeps English readers wide awake at the reading of philosophy. He writes incessantly on this important subject, and writes so clearly that, as the saying goes, any child can understand it. The latest from Dr. Carus’s pen is a book of 101 pages and a copious index called “Kant and Spencer” (the Open Court Pub. Co., Chicago). Kant and Spencer, their ethics chiefly, are compared and Kant’s system is triumphant. The reasoning is very clear throughout the book. Its main merits are the correction in English of the philosophical terminology and fixing the definitions, especially of terms taken from Kant. It is a splendid little book for students of philosophy.
– Hebrew Friendship Congregation of Harrisonburg, Va., which resigned its membership in the Union of American Hebrew Congregations last year, has again joined.
– The United States Commissioners of Immigration have caused a wholesale detention of Russian Jews who arrived at Halifax on the steamer Vancouver. They were bound to New York, but are without means. Commissioners are acting on special instructions from Washington. Immigrants without means must submit to the law.
— February 22, 1900
100 Years ago
Jottings
– There seems to be a tendency today to make theological seminaries out of colleges, and to turn theological seminaries into universities of secular learning, rather than confining themselves to the subjects which they were established to teach.
– To judge by reports that come form Columbus the most important business that is now before the Ohio Legislatures is to make the reading of the Bible in the public school compulsory and to making indulging Sunday amusements a criminal offense. The natural inference would be that there is practically nothing else requiring the present attention of that august body. Of course, this is far from being the case. Practically every city and town in the State is suffering from lack of sufficient funds for its government to operate properly. Some have been obliged, Cincinnati, for instance, to reduce its police force, its fire department, even below the minimum required for public protection, to say nothing of streets and municipal buildings, which are going to run for lack of proper repairs. As a result the State has become a laughing stock and business and industry of all kinds are suffering, and there is a very much greater proportion of underemployment than there should be. The remedy, of course, is in the hands of the people. If they are too indifferent to apply it, they deserve what they are getting.
– A resident of Philadelphia, Benjamin Braverman, is the possessor of what is reputed to be the smallest book in the world. It is a Hebrew torah. It contains 605 pages and is less than one quarter inch thick, but in spite of its tiny dimensions, is complete with the 38 books of the torah. The midget volume is 1 3-16 inches long and 11-16 inch wide.
— February 19, 1925
75 Years ago
Cincinnati Social and Personal
– Mr. and Mrs. Leon Mellman, of 900 Lexington Avenue, announce the forthcoming bar mitzvoth of their twin sons, Edwin and Milton, Saturday, March 4, at the Ohav Shalom Synagog, 425 Forest Avenue.
A reception will be held at the Ohav Shalom auditorium, Sunday, March 5, and 7:30 p.m.
Relatives and friends re cordially invited.
– Mr. and Mrs. Nathan B. Goret, of 1133 Louis Drive, announce the forthcoming bar mitzvah of their son, Ronald Jerome, Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Washington Avenue Synagog. A reception will be held in his honor Sunday, Feb. 26, at the Ohav Shalom Synagog, from 7 to 11 p.m.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited.
– Mr. and Mrs. Carl Frank, of 880 Cleveland Avenue, announce the bar mitzvah of their son, Walter, Saturday, Feb. 25, at the New Hope Congregation, Bureau of Jewish Education. A reception will be held Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Grill Room, Hotel Alms, from 7 to 11 p.m. Relatives and friends are cordially invited. No cards.
– Mr. and Mrs. Bernard Heltzer, of 1477 Earlham Dr., Dayton O., and formerly of Cincinnati, announce the forthcoming bar mitzvah of their son, Arnold, Saturday morning, Mar. 4, at the Beth Jacob Synagog, 1350 Kumler Ave., Dayton
A reception will be held in the same evening, Saturday, Mar. 4, at the residence.
Relatives and friends are invited. No cards.
— February 23, 1950
50 years ago
Bar Mitzvah
– Dr. and Mrs. Leonard A. Burgin are happy to announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Seth Louis, on Saturday, March 8th, at 10;45 a.m. at Plum Street Temple.
Friends and relatives are invited to worship with the family and join them for the Kiddish following the ceremony.
Seth is the grandson of Mrs. Lester A. Jaffee and the late Mr. Jaffe, and Mrs. Samuel Burgin and the late Mr. Burgin.
– Mr. and Mrs. Elliot W. Segerman are pleased to announce the Bar Mitzvah of their son, Alan Marc, at 9 a.m., March 1, 1975 at Adath Israel Synagogue.
Relatives and friends are cordially invited to attend the Bar Mitzvah and the Kiddish following the services.
Alan is the grandson of the late Sarah and Morris Lutzky and the late Ida and Abraham Segerman.
Mythologist Will Speak at UC
Joseph Campbell, expert in mythology, will be presented at UC Wednesday, Feb. 26 and Thursday, Feb. 27, for a two part lecture, “The Visionary Journey.” Both talks will take place at 2 p.m. in the Great Hall of Tangeman University Center.
Seven Hills to Hold Open House
On Sunday, Feb. 23, 2-4 p.m., Seven Hills Schools will open the doors, on both campuses, to all interest persons at its annual open house. Seven Hills Schools include Doherty, (formerly College Preparatory School), Seven Hills (on site of former Hillsdale School), Lotspeich.
Richard P. hall, principal, will be host at Seven Hills School open house, 5400 Red Bank Road.
Seven Hills will also offer an innovated summer school employing the resources. The summer program, open to the Cincinnati community, offers courses for children, students and adults in review work, skills workshops, athletic clinics and enrichment programs.
— February 20, 1975
25 Years ago
Yavneh Presents Musical “Challenges”
Yavneh Day School, in association with Eastside Players, presents the new musical “Challenges,” opening Thursday, Mar. 2 at 7:00 PM at Yavneh Day School, 8401 Montgomery Road In Kenwood.
“Challenges” was Witten by local playwrights David Kisor, Matthews Wehner and the students of the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music Preparatory Department. The show has been performed only twice previously, and has received great acclaim. Using whimsical music and dialect, the show captures the challenges with which all children deal, as well as the challenges which “special needs” children face.
Producer Sandy Kraft Kantor, parent of two of the young performers, says that the performance is family entertainment, which is fun as well as educational. “We have learned so much about growing up and facing challenges while rehearsing for the show. I think that everyone — cast as well as audience — will come away feeling wonderful about the kids and themselves.”
— February 24, 2000
10 Years ago
Ohav Shalom and B’nai Tzedek merge to become Etz Chaim
Recently Ohav Shalom and B’nai Tzedek merged their congregations; they have now announced that their new name is Etz Chaim.
Both B’nai Tzedek and Beit Chaverim have vacated their current building on Kugler Mill Road and are now conducting services at Ohav Shalom on Cornell Road.
B’nai Tzedek is in the process of selling their building. Beit Chaverim will be utilizing the facilities at Ohav Shalom but are not part of the merger.
More details to come about the new Etz Chaim Congregation next week.
Jewish Community Relations Council announces award honoring Dick Weiland
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of the Jewish Federation of Cincinnati has announced that they seek to raise $500,000 to endow an award honoring Cincinnati icon Dick Weiland. Up to now, Weiland has personally raised $125,000 towards this goal.
The inaugural Dick Weiland Community Relations Award will be presented by JCRC at its annual meeting on June 8th at the Mayerson JCC. In addition to the award for Weiland, four other individuals (who exemplify an ability to promote inclusion while collaborating with leaders from diverse communities to address issues facing Cincinnati) will receive awards as well.
Weiland is also dedicated to about 40 non-profits. He has been recognized for securing Holocaust reparations for survivors throughout the world, and was involved in keeping the Hebrew Union College from leaving the Greater Cincinnati area.
— February 19, 2015
